Police plea after significant rise in fatal motorbike accidents

A SIGNIFICANT rise in fatal motorcycle accidents in the region has led to a plea from police.

The chief constables of North Wales and Dyfed Powys Police have issued a joint statement about the “very real public safety concern” of motorcycle accidents in the region.

The two forces have already seen sixteen fatalities and 72 serious injuries across their policing areas this year.

The statement, from North Wales Police’s chief constable Mark Polin and Dyfed Powys Police’s chief constable Simon Prince, said driver error and excessive speed were among the most common reasons for crashes.

They said: “This year’s increase is a very real public safety concern and a priority for both police forces.

“Amongst the most common reasons for the collisions are rider error and excessive speed, particularly on bends.

“Our approach on enforcement has not changed; we will robustly enforce the law so that we can assist in reducing the risk to all road users.”

They said that while motorcyclists and motorists who drove safely were welcome in the region, those who broke the law would be prosecuted.

The statement added: “The approach around reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is not, of course, based around enforcement alone.

“We continue to work with riders through a variety of engagement events and we will use what opportunities we can to educate riders as to the risks associated with riding inappropriately.

“We continue to be avid supporters of Bike Safe, an extremely valuable resource that is very well received, and we wish to encourage as many riders as possible to engage with a local Bike Safe workshop.”

They added that many police officers were motorcyclists themselves who understood the attraction of riding in the region, but asked that they drive safely.